Anorexia

By:Jazmine Marie Veloz

Anorexia

By:Jazmine Marie Veloz

Anorexia Definition

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that makes people lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height. Persons with this disorder may have an intense fear of weight gain, even when they are underweight. They may diet or exercise too much or use other ways to lose weight.

15 Danengers of Anorexia

Malnutrition - caused by undereating or overeating.

Dehydration - caused by the depletion or lack of intake of fluids in the body, or by restriction of carbohydrates and fat.

Electrolyte Imbalances - electrolyte are essential to the production of the body's "natural electricity" that ensures healthy teeth, joints and bones, nerve and muscle impulses, kidneys and heart, blood sugar levels and the delivery of oxygen to the cells.

Lanugo - (soft downy hair on face, back and arms). This is caused due to a protective mechanism built-in to the body to help keep a person warm during periods of starvation and malnutrition, and the hormonal imbalances that result.

Refeeding Syndrome (related to treatment) - Starved or severely malnourished patients can undergo life-threatening fluid and electrolyte shifts following the initiation of aggressive nutritional support therapies.

Edema - swelling of the soft tissues as a result of excess water accumulation.

Muscle Atrophy - wasting away of muscle and decrease in muscle mass due to the body feeding off of itself.